THE GUJRAT CYCLONE

The GUJRAT CYCLONE

It was in the year 1998, My morale was not so high; I had just been overlooked in my board for the next promotion. My own views on officers who were overlooked had started haunting me.

We had moved lock stock and barrel to Dhrangdhara.  A total change of terrain, we were to serve in the deserts. I was putting up a show of high morale, I know. Professional knowledge was my strong point. And staying deeply engrossed in technical training took away defeatist thoughts.

I believed that officers who were overlooked should relinquish command for various reasons and only the ones who were in the race should command, write the future of other officers etc. Future in the army looked bleak but one had to earn the bread.

I was eager to train my boys on the surveillance radars in this new sector. There being no high ground, my keen radar troop commander (an able JCO) suggested that we mount the radar head on top of a water tower nearby.

The 1998 Gujarat cyclone (Joint Typhoon Warning Center designation: 03A; India Meteorological Department designation: ARB 02) was a deadly tropical cyclone that killed at least 10,000 people in India. The highest winds blew across Gujrat, to the tune of 3 min sustained at 165 Km/h and roe to 195 km/h for a minute. The damage estimate was about $3 billion as declared.

Our location was 100 km from the coastline. We were warned about the oncoming storm but never expected the wrath. All precautions were taken except that the radar head was somehow forgotten. Anyways I ordered that the head be taken down. At about 4 pm I was informed that the boys were unable to climb and unleash the head from the tower. The velocity had reached almost 160 Km per hour. The JCO was in tears, it is then that I took the decision: to climb the tank myself, with no support.

I said to myself “I rather be blown away than face an enquiry…..” Cowardice was never in my dictionary, and my slow climb started with a spanner and long screwdriver stuck in my shorts. I was in my games dress, I still remember. In the meanwhile an alarm was raised as I would not listen to anyone. My head n heart was on the radar head. My loyal driver, Uttam, decided to fetch my wife and son to stop me. They arrived a little later. I could hear no one at that time, as I climbed slowly. A small group had gathered. It is then one of the operators gathered courage and followed me. He convinced me that he could do it .Then I let him get ahead as I followed. Finally the head was unbolted and lowered with lashing ropes. By then a few more boys had joined in.